People asked for views on roads and transport in Bucks

Around 4,500 Buckinghamshire residents will be asked what they think of transport services in the county when National Highways and Transport Survey envelopes start dropping on to doormats this month.

Buckinghamshire is one of 70 county councils taking part in the survey, which compares residents’ opinions with those of others across England.

Neighbouring Oxfordshire, Northants and Herts councils are also taking part.

Results are expected to be published in early autumn.

The survey, sent to a random sample of residents, enables councils to compare results, share in best practice and identify opportunities to work together in the future.

Bucks County Council says it has been working hard to improve the county’s roads and transport services.

During the past 12 months Transport For Bucks teams have:

• Repaired 32,661 ‘Category One’ potholes, all within 24 hours of being reported

• Treated 178 roads as part of the ‘We’re Working On It’ programme

• Cleared around 80,000 gullies

• Repaired 5,320 street lights

• Completed 81 winter gritting runs

Janet Blake, cabinet member for planning and transport, encourged people to complete the survey.

“Residents have been very vocal about the condition of the roads in recent years, and we have invested £30 million in road resurfacing in the past two years. “We’ve just started the second two-year programme with a further £25m, plus a recently agreed additional £3m.

“But we do much more than road resurfacing, which is why we’d value residents’ feedback across the breadth of the survey.”

Council officer John Lamb, whose job title is ‘service director for place’, said there were ‘clear benefits’ to this kind of public survey.

“This isn’t about producing a league table to champion one geographical area over another.

“It’s about better understanding customer views, and working together to deliver the best possible outcomes for local residents.”

The survey is one of a number of ways the council assesses its performance and decides which services to prioritise and improve.

Residents will be able to complete the survey online or on paper.

It is 12 pages long and covers all aspects of local highway and transport services (e.g. from the condition or roads and footways to the quality of local bus services).